The present invention relates to a method of wrapping cigars.
Known cigar wrapping methods are implemented on wrapping machines, and provide for feeding the cigars in steps along a given path, along which a sheet of wrapping material is folded about each cigar and closed about the opposite ends of the cigar to form a closed wrapping which is then sealed. The sheet of wrapping material is folded and sealed during the pauses between two successive steps of each cigar, so that in known methods the longest operation determines the output rate of the machine as a whole. Whether performed using adhesive or heat-seal wrapping material, sealing normally take much longer than the other operations and, if speeded up, may impair the quality of the closed wrapping, which may eventually come unstuck, thus failing to protect the humidity of the cigar.
As such, known cigar wrapping methods fail to provide for both high output and quality.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of wrapping cigars on a wrapping machine, designed to eliminate the drawbacks of the known state of the art.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of wrapping cigars on a wrapping machine; each cigar extending between two opposite ends; the method comprising the steps of feeding the cigars along a given path, folding a sheet of wrapping material about each cigar, closing the sheet of wrapping material about the cigar (2) and at the opposite ends to form a closed wrapping, and sealing said closed wrapping; and the method being characterized by feeding the cigars continuously along said path.
The present invention also relates to a machine for wrapping cigars.
According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for wrapping cigars, characterized by comprising an input conveyor, a transfer wheel, and a first, second and third wrapping wheel, which define the path of the cigars and are operated continuously to feed the cigars continuously along said path.